Elaine White, Westminster School

Meet Elaine White, Head of School at Westminster School, a leader rooted in growth and community.  Known for her thoughtful, dynamic leadership and strong moral compass, Elaine creates a school culture where students are encouraged to take risks, challenge themselves, and grow — both in and beyond the classroom.

Elaine’s path to Westminster School has been shaped by years of experience as a teacher, advisor, and administrator. Before stepping into her current role, she served as assistant head of school at The Governor’s Academy, where she became the school’s first female department chair. Her leadership approach is both visionary and personal, grounded in the belief that learning is not just about achievement but about shaping character and connection.

Beyond the professional demands of her role, Elaine’s commitment to Westminster is a way of life. She and her husband, along with their three children, are fully immersed in the vibrant school community, embodying the values of connection and service that she champions. This shared lifestyle reflects her belief in the transformative power of education and the importance of fostering a community where every member is seen, supported, and inspired.

At Westminster, Elaine helps students navigate challenges with grit and grace, preparing them for a future of thoughtful leadership and service. Initiatives like Horizons at Westminster emphasize the importance of engaging with the wider community, reinforcing the school’s core values of growth, generosity, and responsibility.

Elaine, who is impacted by the work that you do?  

That is actually an intimidating question.  I am making decisions and acting on a vision that impacts not only current students and my colleagues but also helps to influence the future of the school.  The work that gets done now lays the groundwork to sustain the school’s legacy and ensure that the school’s mission, core values and motto remain relevant and powerful in the future. 

Is there a personal connection to this work?

This work is highly personal for me.  I feel called to this vocation.  It is my reason for being.  Not only do I love teaching, but I love being a part of students’ lives and impacting them in moments of triumph or challenge.  It is a lifestyle that I chose and that demands that I be fully immersed in it; even more, it is a lifestyle in which I immersed my entire family.  My husband and children have been right alongside me as I have done this work, whether that is in welcoming people into our home, putting up with my long hours away, or building relationships and friendships across the years with families and students.  I believe in the power of education to transform lives.  I am not sure that there is a better way to make a difference in others’ lives than to help young people be curious about learning, about finding their passions, about imagining,and then working to become the person they would like to be.  And this lifestyle, this commitment to the education of the whole child, has allowed me to accompany hundreds of students on that journey.  That is an incredible privilege. 

While rewarding, purpose driven work can also require significant energy from us.  Do you have a self-care routine that helps you maintain balance? 

I do several things for self-care:

1. I try to work out 5-6 days/week in the early mornings.  If I schedule my workouts at any time other than the first thing, invariably the workout gets pushed off.  There is always something that takes its place, and it is really easy to talk myself into doing that work-related thing.  It is good that I am an early riser.

2. Read - whenever I can.

3. I love my quiet time - in a job where I am often always on, I need to carve out time to just be quiet and renew my energy.  Luckily that often happens when I work out and when I read. 

4. I give myself permission to be done for the day.  While I am not particularly good at this sort of self-care, I have gotten better with it with age because I have realized that I am never going to complete the work.  It will be there when I return the next day.

Has there been a particular challenge in your own life, where looking back now, you realize it was a pivotal moment in your own growth journey? 

I don’t think there was ever a challenge that pointed me to where I am now, although I do think that I am where I am because of the challenges that others faced.  I was born at the right time. Just as I was going into elementary school, Title IV was finally gaining some traction, and, as a result, I had access to sports like baseball and ice hockey.  The skills, behaviors, and attributes that we learn through these competitive sports have been the foundation on which I have built the rest of my life.  Those sports, my teammates, the competition, being part of a team and needing to work together to find success, I rely on those lessons every single day in so many different ways. There were many people, especially women, who came before me and did not have the access that I had to sports and jobs and leadership positions, but because they were willing to fight to change the societal norms and rewrite the playbook, I have had the life that I do.

Community and mentorship are so important.  Is there a particular person or persons that you’ve drawn inspiration from over the years?

I cannot list all of the people from whom I have drawn inspiration. I can start with my family - my grandparents who did not have much access to education, but made sure that their children did. My parents who not only held a good education for their children as their number one priority, but who also encouraged me to pursue my passion. I am inspired everyday by my colleagues and their commitment to students and their education.  I am inspired by our students as they navigate their worlds and the never linear track of adolescence. I am inspired by those who work hard and sacrifice to make our world better; I feel like teaching and working in education let me be a part of that group determined to make the world better. 

What advice would you offer the woman with a whisper in her heart to lean deeper into her power?  

I am not sure if I want to be inspirational here or practical. Anyone who wants to pursue leadership in some capacity has to be able to find both inspiration and be practical on a regular basis. 

Practical: 

1. Find good mentors.

2. Do what you say you are going to do and do it in a timely manner.

3. Listen to other people and don’t think you know the answer.

4. Don’t ever take yourself too seriously.

5. Grow thick skin and just remind yourself that you are always trying to do the best that you can in that moment.

Inspirational:

1. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and who will be direct and honest.

2. Smile and breathe deeply and always find the silver lining.

3. Buy stock in Brené Brown, watch young women who are changing the world - USWNT (U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team), Caitlin Clark (and the WNBA), Taylor Swift.  Barbie, the movie.